Telephone selecting device.



. -M MEWW F. E. GRANGER.

TELEPHONE SELBGTING DEVICE.

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.LPPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 29, '1909.

1,017,967, y Patented Feb. 2o, 1912.

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P. E. GRANGER.

TELEPHONE SELBGTING DEVICE.

- vAPPLIQATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1909.

1,017,967. v Patented Feb.2o,1912.

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A E'. E. GRANGER. TELEPHUNB SELEGTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1909. Y

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

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F. E. GRANGBR.

TELEPHONE SELECTING DEVICE.

APPLIUATIOH FILED SEPT. 29, 1909.

1,017,967. Patented Feb.20,1912.

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I llllll! UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

FRANK E. GRANGER, 0F AERDEEN, SOUTH DAKOTA.

TELEPHONE SELEGTING DEVICE.

Application filed September 29, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. GRANGER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Aberdeen, county of Brown, and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Telephone Selecting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to party-line station-selecting devices for use in telephone party lines, and it comprises, in its complete form, two mechanisms, namely, a signal receiving device adapted to be controlled by electric impulses and acting to render its associated telephone equipment operative when properly so controlled, and second, a signal-sending or electrical impulse-giving device.

In my improved device for party lines of any type, I have produced a device which meets the requirements of the private party line and which meets the desires of the users of such lines as I understand them.

My device offers a means for signaling any desired station without announcing such signal to any other station. In this feature, however, I oder the option of signaling a plurality of stations if so desired, as for instance, a doctor may have a telephone in his office and in his residence, and he desires that the bell shall ring at both places in order that he may answer every call, answering any call from either stat-ion. I provide at each station an annunciator device which bears upon its face all the numbers of all the stations upon its line, and which at all times indicates the number of the last station whose telephone equipment was brought into connection with the line conductors.

While in one sense my device is a lock-out device, because at any time all stations but one are unable to connect their telephones to the line, although if previously connected it may remain connected, yet in another sense my device does not provide lock-out features, since any station may gain access of his telephone to the line conductors by manipulating the apparatus at his station. By the design of my improved apparatus, the annunciator devices of all the stations are operated in unison and when t-he device at any station is manipulated to connect its telephone to the line conductors, the annunciators at all stations will move to indicate the directory number of the station thus connecting itself to the line. y It will be seen therefore Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20,1912.

serial No. 520,067.

that it is impossible for a telephone user at any station to connect itself to a busy line without announcing his own directory number to the parties to the then existing conversation.v The indicators at the stat-ions talking would show the number of the station which had come upon the line, and the three parties then would, of course, conduct themselves in view of the existing condition. An emergency call is possible even though the line may be busy, because the station desiring to call has the power to come upon the line and request its use, explaining the condition of emergency.

It will be seen from the above description that the party last connected, being the indicated party upon all the dials, is at liberty to place his telephone in connection with the line conductors without operating the dials, and it is true therefore that with an idle line one of the stations is able to connect himself to the line without operating the dials. However, when a conversation is in progress, lone of the stations to the conversation is itself the station last connected to the line, and is itself the station which may be connected without operating the dials; it is, therefore, impossible for any third station to connect with the line without operating the dials. It is, however, provided by means of proper directions to t-he users of the line that when a subscriber has ceased using the line he shall return the dials to zero, in order that others may know that the line is free. Upon return of the dials to Zero and the hanging up of all receivers no telephone is connected with the line and cannot be until the dials are operated to some predetermined number. It will be seen that when the subscriber finds/,his dial at Zero he knows that he does not interrupt anyone by immediately using the line. However, if the dial is oif from Zero he may wait a reasonable time before putting himself on t-he line and when he does so if he finds others on the line, proper arrangements to the mutual satisfaction of all can be made.

For the operation of my device in connection with the private party line, as' above contemplated, the equipment at each station comprises an impulse receiving and an impulse transmitting device, in order that any station may constitute itself a call sending station; the impulses sent in calling being received by all receiving devices, including its own.

- tion would be provided with means for calling the central office. The central station would have the dial and impulse sending mechanism so that it would have the power of selecting substations and switchii'ig them on or off the line. 1f each substation Vwere fully equipped with an impulse-sending device, the st-ations would be able to call each other without the cooperation of the central oflice. 1f, however, a modified calling device were supplied at the stations, the stations might be limited in power to the calling of the central office only, and a simpler equipment at each substation would be attained. Used as a small automatic exchange, the lines would radiate from the central oiiice and each substation would be provided with impulse-receiving and impulsesending devices.

My invention is illustrated in the drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout, which accompany and tforin a part of this specification.

Figure 1 shows face view of the complete receiving and transmitting device of my rinvention with parts thereof broken away to reveal other parts. Fig. 2 shows side elevation of same viewed from the left of Fig. 1 and with the vibrating` electric bell removed to reveal the apparatus at the right thereof lin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the calling pin wheel, the impulse wheel, and the anniinciator dial removed to reveal the apparatus under them. Fig. 4 shows sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a portion only of the apparatus taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 shows circuits of a private party line.

I shall describe first my impulse-receiving device. A large ratchet wheel l, having twice as many teeth as there are stations or directory numbers upon the party line, is driven by an electromagnet 2, operating through an arm 3 which is driven by the armature 3. The arm 3 carries driving pawls and locking teeth for the ratchet wheel 1, and a detent pawl 1 also is provided, the object of all these pawls and teeth being to insure the movement of the ratchet wheel through an angle of one step for each electrical impulse received by the magnet 2 and to limit its motion Linder such conditions to a single step or move. The ratchet wheel 1 carries mounted pivotally upon it a toothed wheel 4, the angular motion of which is limited by the engagement of pin 4, carried by the wheel 4, with plate 4 which is the top sustaining plate of the wheel 4. The

wheel 4 has a spring 43 (see Fig. 8) tending at all times to rotate the wheel 4 counter-l vclockwise as viewed in Fig. 3. A fixed toothed rack 5, presenting teeth in the form of a circularl arc, is attached rigidly to the under surface of structural plate 6 by studs 5-5. Between the rack 5 and the plate G is sustained a train of gear wheels 7. The arc of teeth upon the part 5 is such as to mesh with the teeth of the wheel 4 and the small pinion of the first shaft of the train 7 is so placed thatit also is engaged by wheel 4 when the wheel 4 is held in certain of vvits possible positions by a' predetermined posi tion of the ratchet wheel 1.

The operation of the parts thus far described is as follows: When the ratchet 1 is propelled by the magnet 2, it carries the wheel 4 first into engagement with the teeth of the fixed part 5 and then into engagement with the teeth of the slowest wheel of the 1idler train 7. The moving wheel 4, when in engagement with the teeth of part 5, rolls `upon that part and rotates upon its moving axis against the tension of the spring 43. Vhen the wheel 4 is carried by the ratchet i1 beyond the last tooth of the part 5, it is in position to engage the idler train 7,

;which is free to move, and the wheel 4, unlder power' stored in the spring 43, returns Ito its initial angular position with reference to ratchet 1, and in so doing, drives the idler train 7. By reason of the driving of idler trainl 7, the speed at which the wheel 4 turns, is limited and the time period may be fixed at any desired interval by proper design of the idler train 7 and tension of i for an indefinite period in one of these positions, depending upon the number of the station called. In most of these positions it is inactive, but it may be active in a number of them, namely, those which it occupies immediately after it has been propelled beyond contact with the teeth of the fixed part 5. The rst positions of the shaft 44, after breaking engagement from the rack 5, may be called the critical positions of that shaft and of the wheel 4. The wheel 4 may be allowed to move counter-clockwise and to run down the tension of its spring 43 while the shaft 4* stands in its critical position or first position after the wheel 4 loses engagement with the raclr 5, or the shaft may progress through several successive positions, or pause in the second position` after breaking engagement between the wheel 4 and rack 5. The shaft 44 passes through the ratchet 1, and below the ratchet 1 it carries the striker 4 arm 7 and electrical brush 7. Upon the l-Ol'f) 7 structural fralue work of the deviceiind insulated therefrom is' mounted the electrical Contact plate S. ln one of the. iossihle positions of the shaft 4*, the shalt in turning will more hrush T into and then out ot contact. with conducting plate 8. This position of tho shaft. -t is ils critical position ns above deserilad, nunuli'` the lil'sty position of rest after lln wheel Il has liroken engagement with the tlxed part The. finger spring 7 engages the teeth 0f thc irstlwheel of the train? and holds it in one of its proper angular positions to inrsh roperly with the wheel 4 as the, wheel t is caving the rack 5. 'lho second hosition of rest, being one step farther to the left. (seo Fig. ."i) permits the brush 7 to rotate near the plate 8 hut not in contact therewith. The wheel 4 will start to revolve immediately upon leavin the part 5, and if it is stopped with its .s aft in its' flrst o't" critical position, it will, by tscontinued revolution, retarded by the train 7 cause an electrical connection of limite time. duration hctween partsl T' and Si lt', however, another step is taken li-\ the ratchet. l, and the wheel lt is carried to ils next. position, hcl'ole the lu-ush T', retarded lili' the idler train T, has moved n sullilicnt. distance nngularly to engage the. plate d, then the re lease of the wheel At may lie ellerted without electrical connection hetween parts 7' and 8. 'l`hc speed ofimpulses received hy thc niagiut J shall he snllicicnt to propel the ratchet l a step or more in the time interval after 4 leaves .'i and before 7' makes contact with B, and it is necessary therefore, if T' is to make contact with 8 at all, that the impulses received hy the magnet 2 shall stop when the critical position of the shaft, At is attained. This electrical contact is adapted to close the ringing circuit of the station, and the angular relation of wheel 4 and the. last tooth of 5, as determined by the angular relation of parts t'i and 1, is varied in the stations, to etl'ect the selection of the desired station or stations and no other, when all ratchet wheels 1 are in a predetermined position.

Vln addition to the electrical function of 7' and 8, the striker arm 7" will strike pin D upon spring-pressed piroted arm t) und more pvotcd arm 0 out of engagement with the shoulder upon hook switch lever 10, if the wheel 4 is permitted to return to its normal position of rest when its shaft 4 is in the critical position, but not otherwise.

'l`he setting of the ratchet wheel 1 atthe ditlerent stations, is suoli that the shaft 4* occupies ditlcrent relative positions in all the stations which arc to be separately selected, and therefore, in all such stations, but. one. such shaft will stand in the critical position when the impulses cease uponA the magnet 2. Therefore but one such station can be called, and in all other stat-ions the wheel 4 and idler train 7 will run down uni der the unwnding of the. spring 4 without closing the circuit between 7 and 8, and without moving the unlocking lever t).

My improved calling device, or impulsetransuiittin device, comprises a piu disk 1.1 and a vi irator disk l2, the pin disk heing associated willi a pin stop t8 and hohling pawl 14, and the vibrator dish being rovided with a vibrator eontuet-uiahing:r ever 15. The two disks are sleeved upon the saine shaft and have abutment irojeetions 1li and 1T respectively, by whielh they engage each other. A spring 1S is attached at. its two ends to the two dislis 'in such inanner ns to draw the two abutinents together, thatthe. disks, when at rest, always may occupy the same relative position. 'lhe pin wheel l1 has as many pin holes 1l as there are stations which mav be selected separately and the disk 12 has double the mimber of teeth. The pawl 14 drops into the holes 11' upon the under side of the disk :ind permits the dish to lie rotated eloeliwise., luit init roiiuter-i-loelcwise. pin ll may he iiiwrteil iu unv of the holesy Il. and when .so inserted proliiiets through .so fui that it engages the lstrut-tural part lil whieh therefore ronsiitntes` :i pin `slop when the dsli ll is operated. The :iiiiiiineiator dish ltl isnt tiuheil to the. `sleeve 1'l upon the aliniiiig stud Q0'. the Asleeve l" being,r rigid with the i'atrhet wheel l. 'l`lie pointer 2li is rii 'idl \l fixed to the nllning stud Q0', and always remainsI in ii fixed posi tion iiulieatin" the last. station ralled or eoiineeted to tlie line,'uhieh iis also the pin .slop iosition. and when zero is iudieated lili; this pointer it would mean that. the line is free. Thus` nununeintor dial iii liiioves with the, i'atrhi-t wheel l and by its position indieates the position of the ratchet wheel. 'llie dial is so adjusted to the inleliet wheel that, when all deviees are :it rest. the directory nuinber under the pin slop position.l which is diiietory niiiuliei 'ti in Fig. i, is the direeloi' \r niiniliev of the, `station at. whieli the wheel 4 is in its eritieal position or signalarnusing and telephone. unloelciug,T position, .withal the direi-tory number iunior the pin .stop position iiidieates at. all limes the number of the station which then luis neeess to the line without operating the seleeting: devices.

'l`he operation of the impulse-transmitting deviee may now be understood. The piu 1l" is placed in the pin wheel 11 opposite the number which itl is desired to eonneet to the line. 'lhe pin wheel then is revolved clockwise, by means of the handle of the. pin until the pin is stopped by the part. 1B. This draws a ailment lti from the ahntinent 1T and the spring 18 urges the wheel 12 eloeliwise. The wheel 1Q is 4aflixed rigidly to gear wheel 12' whieli meshes with idler train 21 and by the retardiug etleet of the idler train, the speed of motion of the wheel lf3 is overned aiid is determined as desired in tizio design of the machine. 'llie movement of the wheel 12 oseillates the arm 1V and causes a making and brealiineT of eontaet between parts 15 and l5,'the lat? .larly to Fig. il. The line condiietors are 22 and 23 which connect in series a line battery 1.5", magnets 2 at eaeh station, contacts 15 and 1li', and impednnee eoils 1,1 located at each end of'llie line. The telephone set 24 of the substation iseonnjeeted in iaeries with nhirh'ii: llie po-ition in whirli`fhe wheel i of tation ll. unil l|i-I :issoriated iueelinnisin will i'iin: hisowu bell and uiilork his own lioolt swilrrh. This. however, will notify station and station (l that station ll hasl rome upon the line. and further use of the line maliI be :ii-ranged as agreed b v them. fn order` however, that the parties using the line lualv nel he unneeessaril)1 interrupted. proper illieetions are given to all suhseiibers thatv they should` when through with the line, return the dials to zero, so as to inform all other subscribers that the lino is free. Y

Havingr thus described my invention, what. I elaiin as new and desire to seeur hy United States Letters Patent. iszl. ln n telephone seleetinp; device, a rotatable shaft.; means for changing the movin;r position of the axis of the said shaft; meansl for eausing the rotation of said shaft iu en v one of a pluralt1 of the possible positions of its axis; a fixed eleetrieal contact member; and an eleetrieal eontaet member rarried b v said shaft, said tivo memberscomprising an eleetrie, switeh and adapted to engage eneh other in eleetrieal Contact dui-ingr a portion of the movement. of said shaft. when its axis is in one of its possible positions.

Q. In a telephone. selecting device` a oonduetinp; brush; a rotatable shaftiipon which said brush is mounted; movable journals upon whieh said shaft is mounted; and n fixed eontaet member which said electrical brush ma)I engage. when rotated with its lshaft and journals in one of the possible po sitions of said `ournals.

Il. ln a tele-p ione selectin deviee, an electrie switch; a rotatable sliaft adaptedl to lose said switch; movable journals for said shaft.; a stepping.,r mechanism to inove said jonrnals; means for causing the beginning of rotation of said switch controlling shaftat a predetermined point in the inovenientpf said journals and retarding mechanism for said shaft and operative when the shaft is rotating to close the switch whereby the closing of said switch is delayed until said stepping mechanism may step the ournals of the shaft beyond the switch closing position of the shaft when so desired.

4. In a telephone selecting device, a main movable member; stepping means for moving said member and adapted to step said main movable member at a predeterminedv speed; a sub-inember movable upon said main member; means for causing said submember to move in a predetermined direction when said main member rotates to a predetermined position and for a short period of time subsequent thereto; an electric switch operable by said sub-member in the latter part of its possible predetermined movement when said main member is in its predetermined position, the interval between the instant of reaching the critical position and the instant of leaving the critical posi.- tion being less than the interval between the beginning of movement of said sub-member and the closing of said switch by said submember.

5. In a telephone selecting instrument, a ratchet wheel impelled by a magnet controlled by a succession of electrical impulsesand provided with means for limiting its movement to one step at each electrical impulse and having mounted upon its surface,

in an eccentric position, a small gear wheel with a coil spring att-ached thereto, in combination with a partially toothed gear segment mounted in a fixed position concentric with said ratchet wheel, with the teeth of which segment t-he teeth of the small gear wheel will engage as it is being carried around upon the ratchet wheel, said partially toothed gear wheel having a suiiicient number of teeth to wind up the coil spring sufficiently to furnish the power to do the work required, and an idler train having its low speed pinion adjacent to the end of the series of teeth upon said iixed segment and with which said small gear wheel meshes after leaving said segment and whereby the speed of said small gear wheel in unwinding said coil spring is retarded.

6. In a telephone selecting instrument, a ratchet wheel impelled by a magnet controlled by a succession of electrical impulses and provided wit-h means for limiting its movement to one step at each electrical ,impulse and having mounted upon its surface, in an eccentric position, a small gear wheel with a coil spring attached thereto, .in combination with a partially toothed gear segment mounted in a fixed position concentric with said ratchet wheel, with the teeth of which segment the teeth of the small gear wheel will engage as it is being carried around upon the ratchet wheel, said partially toothed gear wheel having a sufficient number of teeth to wind up the coil spring sufficiently to furnish the power to do the work required, and an idler train having its low speed pinion adjacent to the end of the series of teeth upon said xed segment and with which said small gear wheel meshes after leaving said segment and whereby the speed of said small gear wheel in unwinding said coil spring is retarded, and with the slow speed pinion of'which said small gear wheel is meshed for a plurality of its positions as determined by said magnet.

7. In a telephone selecting device, an electric switch comprising a fixed member and a movable member movable angularly about a translatable axis and adapted to close the switch only when said axis is in one of its possible positions of translation.

8. In a telephone selecting instrument, a

signaling circuit including a switch adapted to be closed during the progressive movement of one of its parts, said movable'part being movable angularly about a translatable axis and said movable part being adapted to close said switch when its axis is in but one of its possible positions; means controllable electrically from a distance by electric impulses for preparing said movable element to move to close said switch and to carry saidtranslatable axis int-o and then out of its critical position. 9. InA a telephone selecting instrument, a signaling circuit including a switch adapted to be closed during the progressive movement of one of its parts, said movable part being movable angularly about a translatable axis and said movable part being adapted to close said switch when its axis is in but one of its possible positions; means controllable electrically from a distance by electric impulses for preparing said movable element to move to close said switch and to carry said translatable axis into and then out of its critical position, and meansA located ata distance and adapted to control the number of electric impulses whereby said axis is moved, whereby said axis may be permitted to remain in its critical position when so desired.

l0. In a telephone selecting device, a mechanism mounted upon a movable support, and means adapted to be controlled by electric impulses for moving said support; further means for moving said mechanism in one direction while said support moves ythrough a predetermined angle and to operate said mechanism in the reverse direction and at a predetermined speed subsequently thereto.

1l. vIn a telephone selecting device, a mechanism adapted to close an electric circuit when operated in a predetermined manner and in a predetermined position, means for carrying said mechanism into and out rectory ot said predetermined position and further means for retarding the speed of operation of said mechanism to such an extent that the electric circuit will not be closed by the mechanism in the period of passage into and out of the critical position unless pause is made in that position. 12. In a telephone selecting device, means controllable electrically from a distance for Winding up a spring and permitting the same to run down under a speed-retarding influence; an electrical contact device :torming a part of a signal circuitand controlling other devices to give a signal, one member of said contact device being mounted upon a part movable by distant selection control, said contact device being operated to cause a signal when said spring is permitted to run down With said selectively movable part in only one of its possible positions.

13. In a telephone selecting device,.a directory dial associated With the selecting mechanism of the device, and indicating at all times the directory number of the s tation last called upon the line With which said connecting device is connected; an 1mpulse transmitting device having a numbersetting Wheel concentric with said dial, said dial indicating, when at rest, the angle through which said number-settingy Wheel must be advanced to leffect the signaling of any desired station. r j D y 14. In a telephone selecting device, a d1- rectory dial associated With the selecting mechanism of the device and indicating at alltimes the directory numbery of the s tation last called upon the line With which said connecting device is connected; an impulse transmitting device having a number setting Wheel concentric with said dial, said dial indicating, When vat rest, the angle through Which said number setting Wheel must be advanced to effect the signaling 0i any desired station; D a pulse-giving mechanism associated With said number-setting Wheel and adapted to produce electrical impulses as a result of the setting of said number `Wheel, said imulses being properly7 numbered to advance said dial through an angle equal to the angle through Which said number Wheel has been advanced. 15. In a telephone selecting device, a didial associated With the selecting mechanism of the device and indicating 'at all times the directory number of the station last called upon the line With which said connecting device is.connected, an niinpulse transmitting device having a .number setting Wheel concentric With said dial, said dial indicating, when at rest, the angle through Which said number setting Wheel must be advanced to effect the signaling of any desired station, and electrical impulsegiving mechanism associated With said numand an electrical im-V ber setting Wheel and adapted to produce electrical impulses as a result of the setting of said number Wheel, the produced impulses being in number proportional to the angle through which said number-setting Wheel has been advanced.

16. In a telephone system, a plurality of stations, each station equipped with a 'directory dial and impulse-sending device and a stepping selective signal device, said dial indicating at all times the directory number of the station last signaled and indieating also the numbers of electrical iinpulses Which must be sent to call any other specific station, and said dial being associated with said selective signall device directly, and said stepping devices and said dials all moving in unison; a controlling Wheel upon said impulse-sending device and adjacent to said directory dial whereby said directory dial may indicate directly upon said controlling wheel the angle through which said Wheel must be turned to secure the selection of any desired station.

17. In a telephone system, a line having a plurality of stations, each station equipped with a directory dial, an impulsey sender and a stepping selective signal device; said dial being associated with said selective signal device directly and said stepping devices and dials all moving in unison; a controlling ivlieel upon said impulse-sending device and adjacent to said directory dial whereby said directory dial may indicate directly upon said controlling Wheel the angle through Which said Wheel must be turned to secure'the selection of anydesired station.

18. In a telephone system, a line having a plurality of stations, each station equipped with a directory dial and impulse sender and a stepping selective signal device, said dial being associated with said selective signal device directly and said stepping devices and dials all moving in unison; a controlling Wheel upon said impulse sending device and adj acent to said directory dial whereby said directory dial may indicate directly upon said controlling Wheel the angle through Which said Wheel must be turned to secure the selection of any desired station; and mechanism in said impulse-sending device and constituting essential parts thereof and adapted to send impulses of current proportional in number to the angle through Which said controlling Wheel is moved.

19. In a party line telephone system, the combination of a station-selecting and call receiving apparatus, comprising a source of energy; an annunciator dial; a pin disk; pin stop and holding pavvl for controlling the position of said pin disk; an impulsemaking disk associated With said pin disk and limited in its action by the movement of said pin disk; an electro-magnet, operating a ratchet Wheel; a small toothedwheel mounted pivotally upon said ratchet Wheel;

a fixed toothed rack, upon Which saidA toothed Wheel rolls against the spring tension; an electrical contact maker, carried on the pinion of said small toothed Wheel, and means for controlling the position, in space, of said toothed Wheel and its rotative speed When itis permitted to run down under tension of its spring, the operation of said contact maker to make a Contact being dependent upon the posit-ion in space of the axis of said small toothed Wheel.

20. In a party-line telephone system, comprising a plurality of instruments on one line, a station-selecting and call receiving apparatus consisting of main movable members bearing upon their surface signal-controlling sub-members, the angular displacement of the sub-members from a prearranged start-ing point being different in each instrument; a means for moving said main members one step for each electrical impulse sent over the line; means for rotating said sub-members against a spring tension, and for releasing the sub-member When at a predetermined point and means for determining and controlling the position, in space, of said sub-member, With regard to its movement about the axis of said main member, and its position in space While rotating after release.

2l. In a telephone station-selecting and call receiving device, the combination of a source of energy; an annunciator dial; an impulse making disk; the number of impulses made by said disk being controllable by angular distance through Which said disk is moved; a ratchet Wheel fixed to same shaft as said annunciator dial; a gear Wheel mounted on the surface ofv said ratchet Wheel, in such a manner that its angular displacement from a prearranged starting point is different in each instrument on the line; an electrical Wiper, carried on the pinion of said gear Wheel, arranged to make electrical contact, With a fixed contact member, during the rotation of said gear Wheel in one of its possible positions in space; a. means of Winding up and releasing said gear Wheel against the Spring tension; and means for giving a signal by the rotation of said gear Wheel after it-s -release if such rotation is permitted in one of its possible positions in space.

22. In a telephone selecting device, a ratchet Wheel, impelled by a succession of electrical impulses received by an electromagnet provided With a means of regulating its movement and limiting it to one step for one impulse; a gear Wheel mounted pivotally upon the surface of said ratchet Wheel, in such a manner that it may have as many positions in space as there are teeth in said ratchet Wheel; a fixed toothed rack, upon Which said gear Wheel rolls, against a spring tension; and an electrical Wiper or contact maker, carried on the pinion of said gear Wheel and arranged to make electrical contact With a fixed contact member during the period of reverse ro-tation of said gear Wheel in its first position of rest, in space, after its release from said toothed rack.

Q3. In a telephone selecting device, a ratchet Wheel, impelled by a succession of electrical impulses received by an electromagnet, provided With a means of regulating its movement and limiting it to one step for one impulse; a gear Wheel mounted pivotally upon the surface of said ratchet Wheel, in such a manner that it may have as many positions in space as there are teeth in said ratchet Wheel; a fixed toothed rack, upon' Which said gear Wheel rolls, against a spring tension; and signal producing means operated by the shaft of said gear wheel during its reverse rotation subsequent to its release from said toothed rack if during such rotation said shaft is permitted'by said ratchet Wheel toy occupy aV predetermined position.

24. In a telephone system, a telephoneselecting and call-receiving device comprising a manually operated circuit closing device, 'arranged to transmit electrical impulses to the line; and an electrically operated signal controlling switch consisting of a fixed member and a movable member, movable about an axis translatable through the medium of electrical impulses received from a distance and adapted to close said switch only by rotation through a predetermined angle when said axis is in one of its possible positions of translation.

25. In a telephone selecting and call receiving device, a means controllable, electrically, from a distance, for Winding up a coiled spring to which is attached a gear Wheel, and permitting the said coiled spring to unwind, thereby turning said gear Wheelv about its axis, under a speed retarding influence, in one of the distantly controlled positions, in space, of the said axis; and an electrical contact device, depending in its operation upon the position in space of said axis of said gear Wheel land its rotation about said axis.

26. In a telephone selecting and call receiving device, a means controllable, electrically, from a distance, for Winding up a coiled spring to Which is attached a gear Wheel, and permitting the said coiled spring to unwind, thereby turning said gear Wheel about its axis, under a speed retarding in- Huence, in one of the distantly controlled positions, in space, of the said axis; and a signal-producing device, depending in its operation upon the position in space of said axis of said gear Wheel and its rotation about said axis.

28. In a telephone selecting device, a main` selector; a sub-selector; means for storing energy in said sub-selector, by movement of said main selector and for releasing the saine atv-a predetermined position of said main` selector; an electrical contact making device constituting a part of said'sub-selector and operated during the dissipation of the stored energy, the predetermined position being the only one of a plurality of positions of said main selector in which said electrical contact maker may operate to complete a circuit.

29. In a telephone selecting device, a main selector; a sub-selector; means for storing energy in said sub-selector, by movement of `said main selector and for releasing tlie same at a predetermined position of said main selector; a signal producing device operated during the dissipation of the stored energy, the predetermined position being tlie only one of a plurality of positions of said main selector in which said signal producing de vice may operate to produce a signal.

Signed by me at Aberdeen, county of `Brown and State of South Dakota, in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. GRANGER. lVitnesses:

E. ODERKIRK, M. G. STEPHENS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

